Prefabricated chair



Nov. 1, 1949 v e. R. SCARLETT PREFABRIGATED CHAIR Filed 00%. 8,, 1945INVENTOR.' GEGRGE 1?, 56A marr Patented Nov. 1, 1949 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE PREFABRICATED CHAIR George R. Scarlett, Oakland, Calif.Application October 8, 1945, Serial No. 621,049

5 Claims.

This invention relates to assembled structures comprising a plurality ofcomponent parts temporarily interfitted to form a self-support unit.

An object of the invention is to provide an article of furnituredesigned to be marketed in dissembled condition and whichis capable ofassembly to form a usable article devoid of any extraneous elements suchas nails or screws for holding the component parts together. A furtherobject of the invention is to provide a novel interlocking joint betweencomponent members of a structure of the character described. 1

Other and equally important objects of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art as the detailed description of theinvention, hereunto annexed, proceeds. It is to be understood that theinvention is not to be limited to the specific form thereof herein shownand described as various other embodiments thereof may be employedwithin the scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of an article of furniture, exemplifiedas a chair, embodying the principles of my invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the back member.

Figure 3 is a fragmental vertical sectional view of a portion of therung. The plane in which the view is taken is indicated by the line 3-3of-Figure 1. t

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the tie bar.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the seat member.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a rocker type of side member.

Figure 7 is a perspective of the complete rung.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a stationary type of side member.

My invention resides in the proportions, the arrangement of parts andthe interlocking joints by mean of which the parts may be connectedtogether to provide a usable structure and while the structure itselfmay take one of many forms, I have chosen to illustrate and describe theinvention as embodied in the chair shown in the drawing; it beingobvious that features shown and described in this embodiment willsuggest their use in a variety of different component parts for otherstructural designs. The illustrated chair comprises a pair of identicalside members, one of which is shown disengaged in Figure 8 and which isconstructed of a unit piece of plywood or other material possessingcomparative strength characteristics. A notch 9 extending upwardly intothe side member from its bottom edge divides the lower portion of themember into front and rear legs ll and I2, respectively, joined by anintegral bridge l3 whose upper surface [4 provides a horizontal seatledge. An integral back stile l6, substantially coextensive with therear leg l2, rises from the rear end of the seat ledge l4 and isprovided, at its upper end, with a vertically opening back-member notchI1 and, at its junction with the seat ledge I4, with a horizontalforwardly opening seat notch l8 whose lower side is co-planar with thesurface I l. The II, at a point intermediate of its vertical le gth, isprovided with a rung aperture I9 and substantially vertically alignedwith and above the aperture is an upwardly opening tie bar notch 2|intersecting the surface l4.

Means are provided for interconnecting and locking a pair of the sidemembers together to form the main support structure for the chair. Asshown in Figure '7, I provide a rung 22 at each end of which is formedan integral attachment hook 20, shaped to create an upper abutment 23,defining one terminal of the upper surface of the rung, and a lowerabutment 24, defining one terminal of the lower surface of the rung. Therelative horizontal spacing between the abutments 23 and 24 is equal tothe thickness of the chair side member. The method of connection of therung to the side members is illustrated in Figure 3. The hooks are sodesigned in relation to the vertical length of the aperture that theformer may be inserted" through the aperture in only a certain manner.As shown by the dotted lines of the drawing the remote tip of the hookmay be started into the aperture only when the rung occupies an angularposition with respect to the side member. After insertion of the hook,the rung may be swung upwardly to the full line position wherein it willbe perpendicular to the side member and wherein the upper and lowerabutments 23 and 24 will be in intimate engagement with the inner andouter faces of the side member. It will be observed that the rootthickness of the hook stem 26 in the plane of the .upper abutment 23 isequal to the vertical length of the aperture l9 sothat the rung, when inits final position is effectively locked against vertical movement, thehooks '20 of course preventing separation of the side members and therung in a horizontal direction. The angular surface 21 extending fromthe curved end of the hook 20 to intersect the plane of the abutment 23is so shaped that it will just clear the upper surface of the aperturel9 as the hook is passed therethrough in the manner above described. Asis best shown in Figure 4, I also provide a tie bar 28 provided in itslower edge with notches 29 spaced apart according to the desired spacingof the chair side members. The tie bar, as will be seen in Figure 1, isinserted into the notches 2i and forced downwardly thereihto until thenotches 29 strad-- dle the side members at the bottoms of the formernotches thus further securing the side members together and providing abridge having its" upper surface in planar coincidence with the seatledges M.

A seat 3|, shown in Figure and comprising a rectangular section ofplywood or the like may terial, is provided having a pair of notches 32in its rear edge and an elongated aperture 33 paralleling the said rearedge and positioned substantially m'edial ly of the sides of. the seatThe notches 3 2 are spaced apart equivalent to the spacing" between thechair side members to that, when the seat rested on the ledges i4 andpushed rearwarclly, the former notches will move into interlockingengagemen-twith the seat notches l 8= thus securing the seat againstrearward, transverse or up movement relative tothe chair; The seat also,it will be noted, secures the tie bar 2'13 in positionagainst upwarddisplacement.

I further provide a back member; shown in detached relation in Figure 2,comprising an integr'al' piece of plywood or the like having ahorizontal head portion 3'4 from which depends a comparatively narrowtongue 36. Dbwntvar'dly opening notches 3? are provided in the loweredge of the head portion 34 and are spaced apart a distance equal to thespacing of the chair side members. Attachment of the back. member may beeffected, as will. be seen in Figure 1,, by bring.- ing the notches 31into registry with the stile notches lit and the lower end of the tongue36 into registry with the seat aperture 33 .v Downward pressure on thebackmember will then. move the notches 31 and H into interlockingrelation-- ship and. the tongue 35 will be caused to enter theaperture 33.. When this latter position itwil'li be noted: that the back member,by the engagement of the tongue 36 with the aperture: 33, securely locksthe seat 31 against displacc memtforwardly of the chair and is thefinal: key which: locks the assembly of. parts together; It will] alsobe: noted: that the pointsol. contact: of. therbackt member with. theupper end or the stiles; no and: with the seat 3F respectively; form attriangular pattern which lends maximum. horizon. tail-'lytransverse-stabi lityto the chair;

In. Figure 6 I have shown a side member modified slightly ilrom theiormshown in Figu-re 8'. In this design the notch 9 is replaced: by anaperture 38 so as: to provide: a. continuous curvilinear rocker 39 alongthe bottom or the side member: A pair of these members, when assembledwith the other unmodified members previously described, will produce arocking The various component parts of the chairs or my invention arecomparatively simple figures; which lend. themselves; well to quantityand prev cision production so that, in regard to the latter feature,selected. parts from variousgroups of components will bereadiiy'interchangeablematerial of which: the chairs are constructed. itonefierably' plywood of thickness or more since this material iscomparatively common and plentiful. However other similar substancessuch as hard-pressed pulp board, with a resinous binder to increase itsstrength, or any of the sheet plastic materials of suitable thicknessmay be employed.

Having thus described my invention in detail, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A take-apart chair" of? the character described comprising a pair ofside frames each having upper and lower sections integrally connectedtogether, said lower section having a ground engaging portion at thebottom and a seat ledge at the top, each frame having at the base ofsaid upper section a notch with a side overlying said ledge, said lowersection also having therein an aperture, a rung extending between thesections and. through the apertures therein and having end portionsengaging the inner and outer sides or the frames adjacent the apertures;aseat member resting upon. said ledges and having the rear portionthereoii int-- sertect said notches andprovided; with notches near therearedge thereof for the recepe tion of the base portions or said:sections; said upper sections having at the: top thereon. upwardlyopening notch. and a batch member having portions seated in: said. lastmentionedi riot'ch'es and a portionintcrlbcltedi with said seat memberto retain said seat member. in. the first mentioned notches.

2. A take-apart chair of the character d6?" scribed comprising; a pairoil side frames each having upper and lower sections integrally conenetted together, said lower section having: at ground engaging portionat the bottom and a seat ledge at the top, eaich Frame having at thebase of the upper" sectiona'notch a side overlying: said ledge atoneendthereof, and said lower sections each having annpwardly-opening notchin, said ledge adjacent the front edge thereof, arung extending betweenand releasably connected with said lower sections, a tie-ban seated in:said; last mentioned notches with the upper side coplanar with said seatledges, a seat; member resting uponz said ledges and said her an havingrear edge portions inserted in said first mentioned notche'st said uppersections having upwardly open-ing notches at the top, anda hack memberengaged inthe notches at the topof the upper member and having a lowerportion interlockedwith said seat near the rear edge thereoi toretainthelatter against transverse displacement on the seat ledges.

A- take-apart chair or the character described comprising a pair of sideframes each having an upper and a lower section integrally connectedtogether; said lower section having at the bottom a ground-engagingportion and at the topa seat ledge; each frame at the iii-notion of theupper and lower section having therein a notch. a side thereof overlyingthe-seat ledge atone end of the latter;- saiu lower section having arrupwardly-opening notch inthe seat ledge ad jacent the trout edge or thelatter,- a rung: ex-- tendin between. and having elements at its endsreleasably engaged with said louver sections, a tie bar" having notchedend) portions engaged:

= in said upwardly-opening notches; said tie having a surface thereoi!coplanar with said seat; ledge, a seat member resting upom said ledgesamt ttebar and: having in an edge thereof portionsregisteringwitlmmcteutering the notches:

7'5 at the junctions: or the trams sections; said upper sections havingvertically-extending notches at the top thereof, a back member having anupper portion provided with notches interengageable with saidvertically-extending notches for de-- tachably securing the back memberto the upper sections of the side frames, and a lower portion of saidback member interlocked with said seat member near the rear edge thereofand retaining the latter against displacement horizontally on sad seatledge.

4. A take-apart chair of the character described comprising a pair ofside frames each having an upper and a lower section integrallyconnected together, said lower section having at the bottom aground-engaging portion and at the top a seat ledge, each frame at thejunction of the upper and lower section having therein a notch with aside thereof overlying the seat ledge at one end of the latter, saidlower section having an upwardly-opening notch located adjacent thefront edge of the seat ledge and being further provided with an apertureextending therethrough, a tie bar extending between said lower sectionsand having end portions engaged in the notches at said other end of theseat ledge, said tie bar having a surface thereof coplanar with the seatledge, a rung extending between said lower sections, passing throughsaid apertures and having surface portions intimately engaged with therespective surfaces of the lower portions bordering said apertures, aseat member resting on said seat ledge and tie bar and having in oneedge thereof spaced notches registered with the notches at the junctionsbetween the upper and lower sections of the side frames andinterengageable with said notches whereby the seat member is connectedto the side frames against movement relative thereto in all but ahorizontal direction, and a back member detachably engaged with saidupper sections of the side frames and with said seat member near therear edge thereof for restraining the seat member from movement in saidhorizontal direction.

5. A take-apart chair of the character described comprising a pair ofside frames each having an upper and a lower section integrallyconnected together, said lower section having at the bottom aground-engaging portion and at the top a seat ledge, each frame at thejunction of the upper and lower section having therein a notch with aside theerof overlying the seat ledge at one end of the latter, saidlower section having an upwardly-opening notch located adjacent thefront edge of the seat ledge and being further provided with an apertureextending therethrough, a tie bar extending between said lower sectionsand having end portions engaged in the notches at said other end of theseat ledge, said tie bar having a surface thereof coplanar with the seatledge, a rung extending between said lower sections, said rung having ateach end thereof a hook element including a pair of abutments risingfrom the opposite longitudinal surfaces of the rung and spaced apart,longitudinally of the latter, a distance equivalent to the thickness ofthe side frame, said abutments when the hook element is inserted in theside frame aperture and the rung is positioned perpendicular to the sideframe being in intimate engagement with opposite surfaces of the sideframe bordering said aperture, a seat member resting on said seat ledgeand said tie bar, said seat member having in one edge thereof spacednotches registered with the notches at the junctions between the upperand lower sections of the side frames and interengageable with saidnotches whereby the seat member is connected to the side members againstmovement relative thereto in all but a horizontal direction, said seatmember also having therein an axially vertical aperture near the rearedge thereof, and a T-shaped back member having an upper portionprovided with notches interengageable with said vertically-extendingnotches for detachably securing the back member to the upper sections ofthe side frames, the lower portion of said back member being formed toenter the aperture of said seat member so as to interlock the backmember and seat member and retain the latter against displacementhorizontally on the seat ledge.

GEORGE R. SCARLETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

